


The Dream Manual

by Geek_Girl132



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 12:32:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16787023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geek_Girl132/pseuds/Geek_Girl132
Summary: Have you ever had a dream that felt real?  Dreams are an echo of alternate realities and sometimes, if we are lucky, we can venture into The Inside.“I wanna wake up now, Momma.  Please! Let me wake up, you are scaring me!”  She repeated the mantra over and over again, unable to do much else.  Her Mother just smoothed her hair against her head and made calming noises to try to get her to stop crying.“I know, baby, I know.  It will be okay! You just have to make sure Momma doesn’t go out.  It is too late for me, but there is still hope for you. I’m so sorry, baby girl”As if all her prayers and pleas were answered, there was a seering bright light and she felt the arms of her mother fall from her body.    She tried to see what was going on, but the light was too bright. She held a hand up over her eyes and squinted between her fingers. Her skin prickled cool and then there was nothing.





	1. Salem

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, this is my first story so go easy on me. Wrote this in 4 days so I hope you like it!!

Chapter One: Salem

Betty gasped and lurched awake. She could hear the townspeople all around her, chattering away madly.   
“Burn her! Burn the damned witch!”  
“Burn! She consorts with Satan!”  
“Evil witch! She is full of sin!”  
Looking down, Betty noticed she was soaking wet. Not too long ago, someone had throw a rock that rendered her unconscious, but she must have woken up. She learned a long time ago that there was no point in fighting it. She didn’t bother protesting. Every time she dared to defend herself, the townspeople simply cited that as further proof that she was a witch. One man grabbed at her hair covering and pulled it off. Her hair cascaded down in a fiery ginger torrent.   
“Look! Look at her hair! Even more proof that she is a witch!”  
“SHE NEEDS TO BURN FOR WHAT SHE DID TO MY SON! ADULTRESS!”  
Betty felt the hands of strange men all over her body. She dared not cry. She simply let things happen. There was no stopping it. Her dress was ripped and her corset was pulled from her. The men lifted her and roughly carried her to the center of town. All the while the people were chanting:  
“Burn the witch! Kill the whore! Burn the witch! Kill the whore!”  
It became a mantra that even she couldn’t help but repeat to herself in her head. She deserved to burn. That was her fate. It was unfair. All of it was unfair. Betty was close friends with Temperance and her husband, Cyrus Johnson. Temperance wasn’t home at the moment because she was with her sister, helping her with the birth of her child. Betty had gone to the home of the Johnsons to repay them for a favor. She brought with her a loaf of bread as payment. Cyrus attacked her and brought her to his bed. When his wife came home to see the two of them, she sobbed wild tears. Betty had been beaten and violated. But that didn’t matter to Temperance. Temperance ran straight to the Reverend and told him what she saw. She told him she had seen Betty seducing her husband and that Cyrus was not to blame for succumbing to his primal nature. Temperance simply couldn't even imagine her husband as a rapist; it had to be Betty's fault.  
“You Adulterer! Husband stealer and corrupter! Burn!!” Temperance screamed at the top of her lungs. All too soon Betty was propped against a wooden pole in the town square. Her hands and feet were tied to the pole and sticks and kindling were placed at the bottom. The Reverend and Judge stood before her.  
“Elizabeth Anne Graves! Do you admit to your crimes? Do you admit to your witchcraft and adultery? Confess your sins!” The Reverend called loudly and powerfully. Betty stayed still while she stared back at him.  
“My name is Elizabeth Anne Graves. You can call me Betty. I have no sins to con-” Betty was cut off by Temperance screaming in anger and pain.  
“SHE IS STABBING MY TONGUE WITH NEEDLES!! SHE IS A WITCH!! Make her confess!! She is the Devil's Whore!” Temperance turned on Betty faster than Betty thought she would. She was crying and her husband stood smuggly next to her.  
“Confess you harlot! Confess!” This time it was the Judge yelling at her. Betty had nothing to say.  
“I have no sins to confess. I am ready to burn,”   
As soon as the words left her lips, Betty could see Temperance raise her hand, an oil lamp gripped tightly in her fist. She pulled back her arm before throwing it at the pyre as hard as she could. The glass broke and the dry wood caught the fire instantly. Betty could hear the roar of the fire and the roar of the crowd. She stood as still as she could as the flames licked her body. The pain was unimaginable and she passed out soon.  
**********  
Betty opened her eyes and saw eyes like hers and ginger hair. The woman standing above her resembled her exactly.  
“Good morning Elizabeth Anne Graves. My name is Elizabeth Anne Graves. Welcome to The Inside,”


	2. The Nightmare Begins

A burning, searing pain licked its way up Elsie's arms as she fell in and out of consciousness. She used the remaining strength in her frail body to prop herself up onto her short arms and try to see her surroundings. She still couldn’t see anything but the glow of the fire, the blackness of the smoke, and the greyness of the ashes falling into her hair. Her hearing was still wonky. All she could make out were muffled voices screaming her name in a panic.   
“Elsie! Where are…..”   
“Please….. Baby girl! Momma is here..”  
“Elsie, Please!”  
Why were they yelling for her? Had she done something wrong? Elsie was very tired, so she laid her head of tawny curls down upon her arms once more. Everyone could wait till morning time. Her body was racked with tremors as an awful, guttural cough surged through her small ribs. She was content to sleep and watch as the flames danced across her arms and legs and stomach. The voices continued to get louder and she just wanted them to go away. She could hear Momma but she sounded distorted. It was almost like she was underwater, which was ironic given her situation.  
"Elsie! Momma is here! Els-"  
This time her voice was cut off by a loud scream and a crash of falling timber. Worry for her mother grew in the pit of her stomach and she could feel the adrenaline begin to course through her, giving her a renewed sense of strength. She peered around at her surroundings. She was laying at the bottom of the stairs and her head hurt immensely. She could see the fire on her body but could feel no pain and ignored it. Her vision went blury as another set of horrible coughing jarred her. Elsie ran her hand up over her head and saw the red on her hand when she pulled it away. Across the room from her lay the burning remnants of her life. The table where she once spent her days drinking apple juice and coloring was now an awful mass of char. The photos on the walls are now blackened with soot and the corners curled up.   
“Momma! Where are you? Momma!” Her voice fell on an empty room and her lips began to quiver. Elsie was scared and she wanted to go home. Where was she? This can’t be home!  
“ELSIE!  
That sounded like her mother's voice. She whipped around to gaze up the smoldering staircase. There, at the top of the the stairs, was her Momma. She looked pleasant as always, but out of place in her clean white shirt and perfectly groomed hair. Her face was clear of any and all debris. She bolted down the stair toward Elsie with an astounding speed and didn't even look out of breath.  
“There you are, my Gum drop! I was looking all over for you! I thought you were lost!” Momma embraced her and held her tight against her chest. Elsie wrapped her small arms as far and as tight around her mother as she could.  
“I missed you so much! Momma, I was so scared!” Elsie sobbed against the one who could comfort her. She felt a hand caress her cheek and lift her chin up to face her Momma. Momma looked funny now. The house was burning but she seemed way too calm.  
“Momma, is something wrong?”  
“Yes, Elsie. Something is very wrong. Do you see the fire? Do you see how it burns? Do you see how it destroys?”  
“Yes. Momma what’s going on? I’m scared..”  
“You're not really my Gum drop. My Gum drop and I got hurt and passed away a very long time ago in this fire. But this fire hasn’t really happened yet for you. My sweet baby girl is gone, and so am I. But it isn’t too late for you! You can still save them! You can still escape all this, you just have to listen to what I am telling you.”  
Mommas eyes were frantic and wild; they told a million different stories and held a million different truths. Elsie began to struggle in her mother's tightening grip, but it was to no avail.  
“But I don’t understand, Momma! This has to be a dream, I must be dreaming! Momma I don’t understand! Let go of me!”  
“NO! You are my daughter and I am your mother and you will listen to me! I need you to wake up and tell Mommy to be very careful on her birthday. I need you to beg and cry and scream and make sure she doesn’t leave the house on her birthday. I will get mad and try to leave for a party, but you need to make me stay. Elsie, it is the only way!”  
Elsie was sobbing into her mothers chest, her cries falling on deaf ears. She wanted to wake up for this couldn’t be real, could it?   
“I wanna wake up now, Momma. Please! Let me wake up, you are scaring me!” She repeated the mantra over and over again, unable to do much else. Her Mother just smoothed her hair against her head and made calming noises to try to get her to stop crying.  
“I know, baby, I know. It will be okay! You just have to make sure Momma doesn’t go out. It is too late for me, but there is still hope for you. I’m so sorry, baby girl”   
As if all her prayers and pleas were answered, there was a seering bright light and she felt the arms of her mother fall from her body. She tried to see what was going on, but the light was too bright. She held a hand up over her eyes and squinted between her fingers. Her skin prickled cool and then there was nothing.


	3. A Midnight Snack

Her heart was still racing so she timidly pulled back her blankets and swung her legs out of bed. She had made up her mind that the only thing that could help her now was a snack and her Momma. Grabbing her robe on her way out the door, she skipped quietly down the hall and scooted down the stairs. Her stairs were perfect for scooting because they had a wonderful plush rug on them. That way, she would never have to worry about the next step hurting her bum. Once she got to the bottom of the stairs, she could hardly remember what was bothering her. She only had a rather annoying sense that she had forgotten something important. She slid down the halls in her socks, being careful not to fall down. Once in the kitchen, Elsie had the overwhelming task of deciding on what snack to munch on. Opening the fridge door, she allowed herself to be bathed in light as she gazed at her options. There was so much to try! Apple juice, orange juice, yogurt, milk. Elsie nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a small cough from across the room.  
“Who’s there?” She whispered into the dark. Her answer came when the lights were flipped on and she saw her Mother standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She looked rather annoyed with her messy hair and tired eyes. Momma tied her robe tighter and shifted her weight to the other foot as she leaned against the wide door frame and crossed her arms.  
“Depends on who’s asking, Gum drop,”  
“Hi, Momma.. List-” Elsie was cut off before she could finish her sentence.  
“Don’t worry about it, okay? Couldn’t sleep well, I take it?”  
Elsie just nodded her head in agreement, awaiting her punishment for waking up Momma and getting out of bed.  
“That’s okay, you aren’t in trouble. Why don’t you grab us a couple yogurts and we can talk about it?” Momma said with a sigh as she left the door frame and moved to sit at the kitchen table.  
“Okay, Momma,” Elsie grabbed a couple yogurts before adding, “Want me to get the spoons too?”  
“No, don’t worry about it. I’ll get the spoons,” Momma rose and returned to the table. By the time she had sat down again, Elsie was already waiting with two small plastic containers of blueberry Yoplait.  
“So, what did you dream about that got you so worked up that you needed midnight yogurt?” Momma plunged her spoon into the snack and twirled it around for a bit before taking a small bite. Elsie just stared at hers for a moment before answering her mother.  
“Well, you were there,” She began.  
“Uh-huh, and anyone else?”  
“No, it was just me and you. But it was scary because we were at home and our whole house was on fire. Every thing. Even me; I was on fire too, Momma!”   
Momma’s eyes widened with concern for her daughter. That was a pretty scary dream for a ten year old to be having. She gestured for Elsie to take a bite of her Yoplait before thinking on how to best respond to this situation.  
“Do you want to keep talking about it? Did any other scary stuff happen?”  
“Yeah! I was all dirty and it hurt to breathe but then you yelled my name. You were clean and pretty and you hugged me. You said something weird though. You told me that all my dreams were real and that I had to stop you from going to that party thing with your friends and-”  
“Elsie! We have been through this a billion times! I am always with you when I am not at work. Jennifer is a nice girl and a good baby sitter. You will be fine! I am going out for one night for my birthday and that is final, young lady!” Momma snipped.  
Elsie just frowned before taking the last bite of her snack. Momma had already finished and was starting to look impatient and upset.  
“The dream Momma said that you would say that. She told me our house was going to burn down if you left. She said I was going to die. And that her version of me burned. She told me I might have to cry to make you stay. That I have to do every-” Again, Elsie was cut off by her Mother. This time, Momma looked positively irate.  
“Look, Kiddo. I love you with all of my person but this has got to stop. You have to get over this! It is just one night. Not even the full night. I will be home at, like, 4 in the morning. I had you when I was only twenty two. Most people that age party a lot. I missed that part of life. So, for one night only, I am going to party. Just one night. Then I promise you can come snuggle with me when I get home. I love you, Gum drop, and wouldn’t change having you, but this is happening. I am not changing my mind. Now off to bed. I don’t want to hear this again.”  
Elsie was on the verge of tears. While her Momma hadn’t exactly yelled at her, she still didn’t like making Momma mad. She stayed put and huffed a bit before stiffly getting up and making her way to the door.  
“I love you, Momma…”   
“Oh, come here. I love you too, now give me a hug and get your butt in bed, okay?”  
Elsie ran into her Mother’s arms and buried her face into the soft pink robe.  
“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Elsie whimpered, tightening her grip around her Momma.  
“I know you do, but trust me. Everything will be okay,” Momma squeezed her one last time before breaking away to look at Elsie. “I love you, Gum drop. Sleep good.”  
“I will,”  
Once she was in her room and under her covers, Elsie had no intention of sleeping. She knew what she had to do. She was going to do everything in her power to make sure that Momma does not go to that party.


	4. The Beginning of a Plan

Every little girl knew just how to get out of school. All they had to do was turn on the tears and say that their head hurts. Elsie was not every little girl. Grabbing her stuffed bunny, she pulled the covers over her head and tried to lay as still as possible. She did her calm down breathing that Miss. Sullivan had taught her to do when she got upset at recess. Very calmly, she pulled air in through her nose and held it for a count of four then opened her round lips and let the breath out for a count of four. She made sure to do this until Momma went to bed. It felt like Momma would never go to sleep! Finally, after what felt like about a thousand boring years, Elsie heard the familiar steps of her Momma heading up the stairs. Her heart got fast and she could feel the smile spreading across her face. She concentrated very hard on trying to be relaxed and keep her breath slow. She heard the door click and kept her face under the blankets.   
“Good Night, my little gum drop. Sweet dreams,” Momma whispered, the fatigue evident in her voice. She waited a spell for Elsie to respond. When no one replied, she shut the door with a sigh.  
Elsie was still a bit wary; Momma might be still be awake, so she stayed still. She peeked her head out from under the covers and glanced at her alarm clock. Big, friendly, digital numbers stared back at her face. The clock had always creeped her out. In the daylight, it looked innocent enough but the darkness of night seemed to reveal some hidden secret about the nature of the thing. Elsie had once begged Momma to get rid of the creepy old thing but she refused to allow it as it was a ‘gift from Santa’ and ‘very expensive’. It was a round clock and an alarming shade of purple. There were numbers painted around the face and even fake hands drawn on. Right in the center of the clock face was a medium sized cut out where the screen was held. The numbers were a glaringly bright shade of red and she could often only sleep if she was facing away from the clock. But none of this was any major problem. The thing that scared her was the fairy statue curling its arms around the top of it. In daylight, the fairy seemed to smile jovially at her but as soon as the lights came off, she seemed to be smirking quite awfully at Elsie.   
Elsie’s eyes began to feel heavy and she could feel sleep pulling her back into the warm abyss that was her blankets, but she fought with vigor to keep her eyes open. After she had deemed it enough time, she finally managed to drag her blankets off her legs and plop each foot to the ground. She got to her feet and managed to pull herself all the way to her desk across the room. It was at this point in time that she began to rethink her choice to come up with her grand plan at night. She pulled out the chair and sat down. Tonight was the night to get it written. She turned on her desk lamp. Maybe she would still be victorious if she only wrote about half? She reached into the drawer and pulled out a leaf of paper. If she omitted the extreme details and didn’t draw picture or color it, the plan would still make sense and she could sleep? She reached into her pencil pouch and grabbed her favorite purple pen with the feather on the cap. Tonight would be okay as long as she got a bullet point list of general ideas down. She opened her mouth wide and yawned long and hard. Quickly, she set to work. At the top of her lined paper, she titles the page: HOW TO KEEP MOMMA SAFE. That wasn't quite all she needed to do, she thought to herself. She added next to that, in much smaller letters, ‘And stuff’. Satisfied with how the title looked, she moved on to bullet one. She would need to cry, for sure. She wrote that down on the first line. She might need a fever, so she wrote that down too. Throwing up might help momma stay home, so she wrote the word ‘puke’. That would suffice for right now.   
Elsie capped her pen and hid the paper in her backpack so she could work on it during recess. Her blood felt like it was made of sand and her bones felt heavier than lead. Her brain was full of cotton and her eyes burned like hellfire. She pulled the cord to her lamp and yawned again as the room was shrouded in darkness once more. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep on her small bed. She made no effort to straighten her blankets or even grab her stuffed bunny. Her legs were a tangle of blankets and sheets as she slept soundly for the first time all night.


End file.
